Sleep Walking
by Oz's Girl
Summary: New weird things are happening in Sunnydale but this time could someone close and suprising? Read and find out.


It was cold and dreary. The rain was pounding outside and the wind was howling. Unusual wheather for the small California town of Sunnydale. Buffy noticed this but didn't think too much of it. As she entered the main doors of Sunnydale High she felt a chill running up her spine. "Its probably just the cold." she thought as she walked toward her best friend Willow's locker. Willow was a shy, akward girl with long red hair. Willow was talking to her boyfriend Oz as Buffy aproached her.   
"Hey Buff."   
"Hey Will." Oz gave a head nod of acknowledgement. "Hey Oz. What's up?" Oz shrugged his shoukders in a "nothin" kind of way. Buffy nodded back. She knew that Oz wasn't a big talker. She also knew the feeling of nothing happening. It had been awhile since she'd seen any action. The last vamp she slayed was two weeks ago. It was nice to have the time off to have a remotely normal life, but she couldn't help feeling alittle anxious. The last time work slowed down there turned out to be an almost vampire armegeden.   
"Hey, what's wrong?" Willow had noticed the look of worry in her friend's face.   
"Nothing. Its just that, I haven't slayed, or even seen, a vampire in a couple weeks and its starting to wig me out, ya know?"   
"Yeah, but I wounldn't worry about it too much. Maybe this is a good thing."  
"Maybe, but now that my every moment isn't devoted to saving the world I feel kinda useless. Like I have nothing to do. Especially since mom joined that computer club."  
" Why don't you go with her?"   
"Na. She needs her time with friends. I'm cool with that. Plus those people kind of freak me out."  
Oz finally spoke. "Well, Dingoes are playing the Bronze tonight. Why don't you come?"  
Willow's eyes lit up. "Yeah! It could be me, you, and we'll invite Xander! We could make it a whole Scooby event! Come on. It'll be fun!"   
"Well..." Just at that moment Xander rounded the corner on his board and almost flew into the lockers.  
"Its ok. Don't panic, I'm cool."  
"Hey Xander. We were just talking about you. What are you doing tonight?"  
"Why?"  
"Well, Buffy, Oz, and I were just talking about hanging out at the Bronze later. Ya know, just the Scoobies. Wanna come?"  
"Hmmmm.... I'm kinda busy tonight but maaybe I could fit you in between my big game and my hot date."  
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Willow looked confused.  
"Oh yeah. I forgot. Sorry, that's my secret life as Superman. When I hang around you guys I'm just Clark Kent. Speaking of which they should really make more phone boothes around here."  
"Ha ha, very funny Xander. So I'll take that as a yes?"  
"Sure. Why not? I have nothing better to do."  
"So Buff, how bout it?"  
"Alright since everyone's so anxious to go...Xander."  
"Hey! Don't pick on the sarcastic guy." Just then the bell rang.  
"Well I guess you have to get to class, Oz."  
"Yeah." Oz gave Willow a peck on the cheek and went off to class.  
"I better get to class too." Willow said as soon as she had finally stopped staring after him. "Bye."  
"Adios amigo." When Willow was out of sight Xander turned to Buffy, "Doesn't anyone except me think that it's just a tad freaky how little that guys talks?"  
"Xander you're just jelous."  
"What do I have to be jelous over him for?"  
"Oz has that mystery guy thing going for him. Plus you still want Willow to be crazy over you."  
"I happen to be very happy for Willow and Oz, its just that I find it odd that during an entire conversation a guy can contribute only one word."  
"Xander, just because YOU never shut YOUR mouth doesn't mean that everyone talks a lot."  
"It's not my fault that I always have something interesting and insightful to say. Well, or that I always have SOMETHING to say, insightful or not.  
Buffy and Xander headed down the hallway to the library. There they found Giles, as usual. Giles was a slightly older British man, about 50 years of age. He was the school librarian and Buffy's watcher. He trained her and researched all the varieties of demons that she fought. Giles wasn't the most exciting man, but he was dependable, understanding, caring, intelligent, and responsible. All the things some one would want in a watcher. Plus he wasn't as bad as he used to be. Little by little Buffy noticed him developing more of a sense of humor.  
"Hey Giles," Buffy and Xander both said as they entered the library. Giles was surrounded by books and notes. He put on his glasses and looked at them. "Oh! Hello Buffy, Xander."  
"What's with all the books?" Buffy remarked eyeing the table, "There haven't been any attacks that I haven't heard about, have there?" As she said this her eyes almost began to twinkle.  
"No, there hasn't." Buffy's expression fell. "You seem.... disappionted."   
"No, well, maybe, sorta, yeah. It's not that I want innocent people to be hurt or anything, but life has been so dull lately. I need action, excitment, I'm sick of patrolling all night and not finding a single thing and to tell ya the truth, it's starting to get me kinda worried."  
"I wouldn't worry too much about it. Why don't you take the night off. Be with your friends."  
"Well, everyone is going to the Bronze tonight, I guess I'll go with them."  
"The Bronze, yes."   
Xander noticed the disapproval in Giles' voice. "The Bronze. That place which is so foreign and uninviting," he mocked.  
Giles looked at Xander, "I just don't understand how people can "hang-out" at that place, listening to that infernal racket that they call music. It's so loud you can't even carry on a semi-intelligent conversation."  
"In case you haven't noticed, people aren't exactly there to discuss great literature in history. They're there to have fun, to party. You do know what a party is, don't ya Giles. Par-Tee."  
"Yes, I know what a party is. In fact, I've been known to throw some rather memorable swarays of my own I'll have you know."   
Xander turned to Buffy, "Is he for real?"  
"I'm afraid so," Buffy replied.  
  
Later that day Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Oz all met in the cafeteria for their lunch period.   
"So," Willow began, "we still on for tonight?"   
"I'll be there," Oz said.  
"Well, you don't really count," Willow responded. Then she thought for a second. "I don't mean you don't count, of course you count but you have to be there, not that I don't want you there because I do, but you have no choice."  
Oz simply nodded.  
"I suppose I'll make an appearence, for all your sakes. Wouldn't want you to look like a bunch of lonely losers."  
"Thanks, Xander. That would really help seeing as your so popular and all," Buffy said sarcastically.  
"You all know it's true. Every girl in school is always looking at me."  
"Um, there's a difference between a look and a look of disgust, Xander."  
"Ouch!" remarked Oz.  
"Hey, if their eyes are pointed in my direction then it's a look."  
"To get back on the subject," Willow chimed in, obviously trying to keep the peace, "are you coming tonight, Buffy?"   
"I guess. Giles gave me the night off, so all I have to do is run it by mom but I'm sure she'll be ok with it."   
  
After school that day Buffy went straight home to talk to her mom about her plans that night.  
"Hey mom." Joyce Summers was a woman in her mid-forties. Just looking at Buffy and Joyce together you could tell they were mother and daughter.  
Both had blond hair, blue eyes, the whole nine-yards. Joyce was sitting at her new laptop with a look of obvious aggrivation.  
"AARRGGHH! How do people do this for a living?!"   
"Its nice to see you too mom."  
"Sorry honey. Its just that this thing is so...."  
"Aggravating?"  
"Exactly."  
"I thought that you were taking those computer classes"  
"I am, but whenever that teacher starts talking I just zone out completely. And I was talking to the woman I sit next to and she said the same thing."  
"I don't know what to tell you. You could always stop going."  
"No. I paid good money for those classes and if I have sleep through every one I will."  
"That's the spirit! Do you have a class tonight?"  
"Yeah. Do you have any plans?"  
"Well, all the guys were talking about going to the Bronze later. I thought that if it was ok with you I'd go too."  
"Sure honey."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Positive. Go. Have a good time. Just don't be home too late."  
"Definately. Thanks mom."   
"No problem. Now come have a quick supper with me before we rush out."  
"Ok."  
  
"So...this is fun." Buffy was sitting at the table in the Bronze with Xander and Willow looking bored out of her mind.  
"MAYbe if Willow would stop staring at WOLF-BOY FOR A SECOND....." Xander spoke loudly in Willow's direction trying to subtley get her attention.  
Willow was sitting gazing dreamily up at Oz on stage. "I mean THIS WAS ALL HER IDEA."   
"Actually it was Oz's idea." Buffy had a glassy look in her eyes. She was staring off into space.  
"Oh fine." Xander said bitterly. "Take their side."  
"Grow up, Xander." Finally the music stopped momentarily to switch bands and Willow had come out her dream world.   
"Well, welcome back to reallity, Will."  
"Sorry," Willow said sheepishly, "Its just that...well...he looks so good on stage."  
"Don't make me sick," Xander mimiced himself vomitting.  
"Xander, why don't you come with me to get some more drinks." Buffy grabbed Xander by the ear and pulled him over to the bar.   
"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow OW!!! What was that for?!"  
"What is your problem?"  
"What'd ya mean?"  
"You know exactly what I mean. Willow has spent years feeling awful because all she wanted was you to notice her and you didn't.   
And now she finally meets a guy who does notice her and who she's crazy about and all you can do is make sarcastic comments about them and make her feel bad."  
"I noticed her."  
"You know what I mean, Xander."  
"I just don't trust him."  
"You don't have to trust him or like him for that matter, but around Willow you have to act like it."  
"I can't."  
"You can and you will."  
  
(Meanwhile that was going on, at the public library on the other side of town, Elaine, the librarian closes up for the night.)  
  
"Oh goodness, look at the time." Elaine was very into the latest book the library had recieved. "Better get home."  
Elaine lived all alone with her cats who mean the world to her. "They're probably starving, poor dears."  
She got up from her desk and went to shut down all the computers. She was in a rush to get home to her kitties but the computers were taking forever.  
"Stupid things, I knew we shouldn't have gotten so many." Finally she got them all turned off and went to get her coat on.  
While she was in the back she heard a noise. "Hello? Is anyone there? We're closed for the night." She looked around but didn't see anything.  
She grabbed her bag and headed outside. As she was locking the doors she heard the noise again. "Hello?" She looked around but nobody was to be seen.  
As she turned back to the doors woman ran up behind her. Elaine screamed.   
"I'm so sorry for frightening you." The woman said appoligetically.  
Elaine, still startled, struggled to make the woman's face but it was dark and she couldn't see very much at all. "Oh, that's alright. We're closed for the evening."  
"No! I have to get to a computer."  
"I'm sorry. I have to get home."  
"So there's nothing you can do?"  
"No I'm sorry dear."  
"No, I'm sorry."  
"About what?"   
The woman reached out her hands and before Elaine even had a chance to scream the woman twisted her head and there was snap.  
Elaine fell to the floor, dead.  
"About that." The woman replied. She smashed her hands theough the glass doors.   
A dark figure stepped up behind her and with a very low, scratchy vioce said, "Very good my dear."  
The woman stepped out of the shadows into the light. It was Joyce Summers.  
  
  



End file.
